"We are in a fortunate position to have full storages leading into spring and summer, when community water use is typically at its highest," a Hunter Water spokesperson told the Examiner.

"While this places us in a good position for the warmer months, it's important we continue to use water wisely around our homes and businesses to ensure our storages remain full for longer.

"Our water levels drop faster than most other major Australian urban centres during hot, dry periods because we have shallow water storages and high evaporation rates. The recent severe drought saw our water storages halve in just two-and-a-half years."

As of Monday, July 25, Grahamstown Dam, the Lower Hunter's largest drinking water supply, Chichester Dam and the Tomago and Anna Bay sandbeds were at maximum capacity.

It is a turnaround from where the Lower Hunter was two years ago, when water storage levels had dropped to a 40-year low and level two water restrictions were introduced.

The drought saw Hunter Water's storages almost halve from July 2017 when they were at 96 per cent capacity to 52.5 per cent in February 2020.

As of Tuesday, July 26, the Williamtown weather station had recorded 354mm of rainfall this winter. Hunter Water's storage levels peaked at 100 per cent on July 4 and have remained there.

As for what happens should the region receive more rain, the Hunter Water spokesperson said its dams have been designed to "fill and spill" while continuing to supply communities with water.

Ongoing rain will keep the dams and sandbeds topped up closer to summer.

However, Hunter Water highlighted that as is always the case during very wet periods, ongoing rain is challenging for those in low-lying areas due to water logging and ponding.

Hunter Water added that Grahamstown Dam is an off-river storage, and that it isn't unusual for it to reach 100 per cent capacity due to local runoff.

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